Journal of Communication and Cultural Trends (JCCT)

Volume 1 Issue 2, Fall 2019

ISSN(P): 2706-9141 ISSN(E):2706-915X
Journal DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jcct
Issue DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jcct.12
Homepage: https://journals.umt.edu.pk/index.php/jcct/Home

Journal QR Code:

Article: A Descriptive Study: Factors Affecting the

Pronunciation of English Language (L2)

Author(s): Tania Ali Khan

Online Published: Fall 2019

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jcct.12.01

Article QR Code:

Khan, T. A. (2019). A descriptive study: Factors affecting

the pronunciation of English language (L2). Journal of
To Cite Article:
Communication and Cultural Trends, 1(2), 01–16.
Crossref

A publication of the
Institute of Communication and Cultural Studies
University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan.
 A Descriptive Study: Factors Affecting the Pronunciation of
English Language (L2)
Tania Ali Khan1*
Abstract
Acquiring correct second language pronunciation is an indispensable part of the
language learning process. It plays a substantial role in enhancing the
communicative competence and performance of second language learners. The
learning of pronunciation is a very sensitive and complicated aspect of the English
language classroom. However, all English language learners are not equally good
in learning pronunciation. The aim of this research is to explore the factors which
affect the pronunciation of English language learners. Theories, empirical evidence,
and personal observations are discussed in this study which classifies the factors
affecting pronunciation into two types, that is, inner and outer factors. Inner factors
include age, brain, aptitude, types of learners and goals. Outer factors include first
language interference, motivation, types of teachers and teaching methodologies,
classroom environment, and institutional variables. This research is significant
because it highlights the importance of acquiring pronunciation of the second
language. Moreover, it provides an insight to language teachers and learners which
allows them to critically understand the factors which affect the pronunciation of
English as a second language as well as to reflect on their own learning and teaching
methodologies. This research is qualitative and descriptive in nature. To support
the arguments presented in this research, the researcher sought help form primary
source books, personal observations and empirical studies, as well as secondary
source research articles, journals and reviews. In conclusion, this study also gives
some suggestions to teach pronunciation in the English language classroom.
Keywords: English language, factors, pronunciation, second language learning,
second language teaching
Introduction
Pronunciation is a fundamental part of the language learning process. It takes a lot
of attention to acquire the pronunciation of a language, which not only involves
uttering the correct sounds but also involves putting them together in the right
combination during the flow of speech. Knowing a lot of vocabulary items is
meaningless unless one can pronounce them accurately. The world has now become

1
Minhaj University Lahore, Pakistan
*
Corresponding author: umt_0002@hotmail.com

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a global village where people are learning different languages for communication.
This phenomenon has heightened the significance of pronunciation not only in the
language learning process but also in communication. Consequently, second
language pronunciation has become an area of immense interest for researchers in
the field of applied linguistics.
When it comes to learning a language besides one’s native language, the first
and foremost choice of the learners around the world is the English language.
English has been the dominant language across the world for more than a century.
There has been a lot of discussion on educational, economic, political, social and
linguistic forums about English as the most influential language around the globe.
Therefore, English language is known as a global language. It has been widely
observed that one of the main goals of learners and teachers while learning and
teaching the English language is to acquire native-like proficiency. When
conversing with others in English, the first thing that is noticed is the pronunciation
of the target language, which creates a positive impression about the competence
of the speaker.
1.1. Significance of the Research
This research is significant because it not only highlights the importance of
pronunciation in second language learning but also provides the profound insight
needed to understand the learning and teaching of the pronunciation of English as
a second language. Moreover, this research brings to light all the factors which
constitute barriers in the way to acquire better pronunciation.
1.2. Research Gap
A lot of research work has been carried out regarding the importance of
pronunciation in language learning and teaching. Similarly, some studies have also
been conducted which have investigated specific factors affecting pronunciation
during second language learning. This research bridges the gap and provides a
detailed insight into both internal and external factors which cause hindrance in
acquiring the correct pronunciation of English learned as a second language.
1.3. Research Objectives
This research has the following objectives.
1) To find out the internal factors affecting the learning and teaching of the
pronunciation of English as second language.
2) To find out the external factors affecting the learning and teaching of the
pronunciation of English as second language.

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3) To find out the reasons behind ESL learners’ passiveness in acquiring the
pronunciation of English as second language.
1.4. Research Questions
The current research answers the following questions.
1) What are the internal factors affecting the learning and teaching of English
language pronunciation?
2) What are the external factors affecting the learning and teaching of English
language pronunciation?
3) Why ESL learners are passive in learning the pronunciation of English
language?
1.5. Delimitation
To begin with, this research is restricted only to the study of the factors which
affect the pronunciation of English language (L2) in learning and teaching due to
time constraints. Furthermore, this research is limited to the Pakistan and only a
selected number of books and articles were studied during this research.
2. Literature Review
Gaining accuracy in pronunciation is an area of great interest and concern in the
study of second language acquisition and it is also an area of great debate and
discussion among researchers. According to Morely, bad and incomprehensible
pronunciation makes communication unpleasant and creates confusion for both
speakers and listeners (Morely, 1998). Furthermore, it is obvious that poor
pronunciation makes learners lose their self-assurance and it also has a negative
influence on their credibility and abilities. Since mid-1990s, tremendous growth in
research about L2 pronunciation has gleaned a renewed focus on intelligibility,
comprehensibility and interpretability (Kang & Ginther, 2018, p. 2).
• Intelligibility (the speaker produces sound patterns that are recognizable as
English)
• Comprehensibility (the listener is able to understand the meaning of what is
said)
• Interpretability (the listener is able to understand the purpose of what is said)
In fact, in recent discussions about English language teaching the unrealistic
idea that learners should sound and speak like native speakers has been
disappearing rapidly. According to Burns, a learner must achieve intelligibility,
comprehensibility and interpretability (Burns, 2003). Learners who want to learn
English as a second language strive to speak English accurately and fluently.

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However, they face a lot of problems in pronunciation which slows down the
learning process because they are unable to acquire intelligibility in their
pronunciation.
2.1. Intelligibility
The inevitability of the notion of intelligibility in the area of pronunciation is
uncontroversial. Second language teachers and learners consider it as essential to
develop intelligible speech patterns (Munaro, 2010). The notion of intelligibility is
not new in second language learning and teaching. It goes back to early 1900s,
when Sweet stated it as a guiding principle in teaching pronunciation in his book
“Practical Language Teaching” published in 1900. He further added that it is a
foundational attribute in L2 learning (Sweet, 1900). Abercrombie articulated in his
first published article that second language learners should aim for clear
pronunciation rather than a native-like accent (Abercrombie, 1949). Gimson talked
about intelligibility while emphasizing that second language learners do not need
to sound like native speakers.
For instance, if a speaker says howz u? rather than how are you?, then there is
no intelligibility because of inaccurate sound, stress and intonation pattern. This
shows that intelligibility can be developed by focusing on the sound system, stress
and intonation pattern of the English language (Gimson, 1962). Clear pronunciation
is essential in spoken communication. Even when learners produce minor
inaccuracies in vocabulary and grammar, they are more likely to communicate
effectively when they have good pronunciation and intonation (Burns, 2003).
2.2. Features of English Pronunciation

Figure 1. Various features of English language pronunciation

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2.3. Segmental Features

It relates to sounds at the micro level. Some studies focused on studying
segmental phonology as compared to supra-segmental features. This is due to the
fact that segmental features are relatively easier to explain and learn in contrast to
supra-segmental features, since they involve the study of the individual vowels and
consonants (Coniam, 2002).
2.4. Supra-segmental Features
It relates to sounds at the macro level. Some studies emphasized that accurate
pronunciation can be achieved by improving supra-segmental production in
contrast to segmental features (Jenkins, 2002).
2.5. Linking of Sounds
It refers to the way the final sound of a word is joined to the initial sound of the
next word. To produce connected speech, speakers run words together and link
consonants to vowels, consonants to consonants, and vowels to vowels. They also
reduce some sounds and leave others out altogether.
2.6. Intonation
Intonation is the melody of the English language. It denotes the rise and fall in
the pitch of the speakers according to the context and meaning of the ongoing
communication (Rough, 1998).
2.7. Stress
Prominence given to one syllable over others during the utterance of a word is
known as stress (Rough, 1998).
2.8. Factors Affecting the Pronunciation of English Language (L2)
In the course of time, different studies were conducted on pronunciation which
epitomized that there are a number of factors which affect the pronunciation of
English as a second language (L2). Kenworthy conducted a study and concluded
that age, exposure, innate phonetic ability, identity, language ego, motivation and
interest of the learner are the factors affecting pronunciation during second
language acquisition (Kenworthy, 1987). Moreover, Eliot described that learner’s
attitude towards pronunciation is known as Pronunciation Attitude Inventory (PAI)
and it is the main variable in relation to the acquisition of pronunciation of English
as a second language (L2) (Eliot, 1995). On the whole, it is difficult to provide a
complete list of factors affecting pronunciation during second language acquisition.

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Therefore, linguists have divided these factors into two main types, that is, internal
and external factors.
1) Internal factors
2) External factors
2.9. Internal Factors
2.9.1. Age. It is a frequently occurring observation of teachers in ESL classroom
that young learners are more likely to acquire the correct pronunciation of English.
They face less difficultly in understanding novel sounds and in uttering them,
whereas older learners face more trouble in fixing their pronunciation. This
relationship of language acquisition with the variable ‘age’ is known as the Critical
Period Hypothesis. CPH has been the subject of endless debate in linguistics and
language acquisition. It was first proposed by Lenneberg (1967). According to
CPH, if a learner does not learn a language in a certain age, he may not be able to
acquire a better pronunciation of that language after that age. Usually, if the learner
starts to speak the second language before the age of six, he will have only a little
or no accent. However, if the learner starts to speak the second language between
the age of seven and eleven years, he probably will have a slight accent. If the
learner starts to speak the second language after the age of twelve, he will definitely
have an accent (Nation & Newton, 2009, p.78). The learner’s abilities,
competencies and cognitive skills vary according to his age. As Harmer said, “It
has something to do with plasticity of the brain” (Harmer, 2001, p. 37).
Therefore, it is concluded that age affects the pronunciation of English greatly.
On the other hand, some researchers like Marinova, Marshall and Snow as well as
Johnson and Newport suggested that the learners of a second language go through
different developmental stages and their learning depends on their cognitive
maturity and neurological factors (Bista, 2009, p.13). As a matter of fact, CPH was
first presented as an answer to all the questions but some researchers still believe
that it is not the only factor which affects the acquisition of English as a second
language (L2). Indeed, there are other factors as well.
2.9.2. Brain. As mentioned above, a child seems to have less difficulty in
acquiring native-like pronunciation in contrast to an adult learner because a child’s
brain is plastic in contrast to an adult’s brain (Harmer, 2001, p.37). After the age of
nine years, a child’s brain matures and functions are assigned to left and right
hemispheres and it becomes difficult for the child to acquire native-like
pronunciation. Some researchers and neurologists assert that there is a strong
connection between language learning and lateralization. Lenneberg suggested that

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lateralization is a slow process, it starts at the age of two and it ends during puberty.
In an early age, the brain is not sufficiently developed. However, after puberty the
brain is sufficiently developed to lose its plasticity and it causes the lateralization
of the language function (Lenneberg, 1967). Therefore, it is hard for an older
learner to acquire native-like pronunciation in a second language. However, some
researchers have the opposite opinion and they assert that plasticity survives
puberty and the brain retains is plasticity in the twenties; hence, the learners still
have the ability to acquire native-like pronunciation (Lund, 2003). It suggests that
human brain has the tendency to change and develop over time.
2.9.3. Aptitude. It has been observed in ESL classroom that some students
seemingly make good progress in acquiring pronunciation as compared to others.
Researchers and language teachers studied them closely and they revealed that such
students possessed a specific set of characteristics which enabled them to acquire
good pronunciation of the English language. It was labeled as aptitude (Zhang,
2009). Aptitude is defined as “a disposition to be able to do something well”
(McDonough, 1981, p.17). It means that every individual has an ability which helps
him to perform any task, such as acquiring appropriate pronunciation of the second
language. This innate ability is known as aptitude (Harmer, 2001, p. 41).
Researches and studies showed that learners with a more positive aptitude
towards English language learning are able to acquire the pronunciation of English
speedily and they improve a lot. It is amazing to see the magic of the right aptitude
in ESL classroom. Carroll (1962) and Carroll (1981) highlighted four traits that
form language aptitude.
i. Phonemic coding ability: the capability to discriminate and code foreign
sounds such that they can be recalled.
ii. Grammatical sensitivity: the capability to analyze language and to figure out
its rules.
iii. Inductive language learning ability: the capability to improve language skills
through exposure.
iv. Memory: the amount of rote learning activity needed to internalize
something (such as a new sound, a lexical item, a grammatical rule,
pronunciation or spelling of a word)
All in all, aptitude is important for language learning and it facilitates the
learning process rather than hindering it.
2.10. Types of Learners
Every learner belongs to a different background and has a unique personality

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and nature. Learners have some responsibilities in ESL classroom. Indeed, their
different personalities determine how earnest they are towards fulfilling their
responsibilities and how seriously they are taking the language learning process.
These differences in personality visibly affect the acquisition of English as a second
language (L2). Learners are divided into two types according to their personalities
I. Extrovert learners
II. Introvert learners
2.10.1. Extrovert learners. It is a generic statement that an extrovert learner
tends to have an accurate pronunciation of the target language because an extrovert
learner understands his responsibilities best. Moreover, he is social, courageous,
talkative, likes to make friends and join groups, tends to express himself and takes
part in every activity enthusiastically. Therefore, he has more opportunities to
improve his pronunciation of the target language (L2). Extrovert leaner is not afraid
of making mistakes, being laughed at and made fun of, being ridiculed and of losing
face. When he speaks the target language, he feels confident about it. “Extrovert
students may be silenced and may lose their enthusiasm if taught by irritated
teachers. Hence teachers should be aware of this fact” (Hedges, 2000, p. 20).
2.10.2. Introvert learners. An introvert learner is exactly the opposite of the
extrovert learner. This kind of learner is typically shy, quiet, likes to stay alone, and
introspective. This kind of learner tends to avoid risky conversations and likes
writing more. Furthermore, an introvert learner is more into reading books than
talking. An introvert learner feels uncomfortable in his own skin and he is afraid of
failure. Hence, he purposefully ignores all the opportunities which summon the
courage to speak. Therefore, the learner with this type of personality hardly finds
any opportunity to speak in the target language and to practice its pronunciation.
These various personality types lead to the various learning styles adopted by the
learners.
2.11. Goals
Learners may learn English language with different purposes in their mind.
Variation in purpose comes along with the variation in the goals of the learners. It
is the goal of some learners to acquire native-like pronunciation, whereas the goal
of other learners is to acquire comprehensible speaking skills. Learners who aim to
acquire native-like pronunciation usually strive to have British or American
pronunciation. Consequently, there is a great need to inform the learners that good
pronunciation does not necessarily mean perfect American or British
pronunciation. In fact, it means an intelligible pronunciation. A learner should set

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up appropriate goals for learning pronunciation. His goal should not be to acquire
perfect pronunciation but to have effective communication skills. Generally, good
pronunciation relates to intelligibility and acceptability. Learners should keep in
mind the intelligibility principle while setting up their goals for ESL classroom
(Levis, 2005).
2.12. External Factors (First Language Interference)
First language has different names like mother tongue, native language and
primary language. It is common knowledge that first language interferes in
acquiring the pronunciation of the second language. Many learners of the English
language (L2) complain that it is difficult for them to understand the native speakers
(Derakhshan & Karimi, 2015). This is not because of the vocabulary and grammar
of the English language; actually it is due to the pronunciation of the native speakers
(Rivers, 1968). Every language has a unique pronunciation system. When a learner
opts to learn a second language, he knows that he has to learn another system of
another language. He finds difficulties not only in learning the pronunciation but
also in acquiring the vocabulary and grammar of that language due to the
interference of the habits of his L1 (Beardsmore, 1982). It was posited that if the
phonological structure of the first language is different from the structure of the
second language, then the learner will have problems in acquiring the pronunciation
of the second language because of unfamiliar phonological rules of the second
language (Fatemi, Sobhani & Abolhassan, 2012). When a second language learner
wants to write and speak in the target language, he seeks help from the structure of
his first language. It is very difficult for him to take a start in the target language. If
the structures of both languages are different, then there occur a lot of errors which
make the learning process slow and difficult for the learner. This shows that the
rules and structure of the first language influence the rules and structure of the
second language (Bhela, 1999, p. 22). On the contrary, the acquisition of second
language pronunciation can be easy and fun for a learner if there are similarities
between the two languages. In this case, it is simpler for a learner to learn the
pronunciation of the second language (L2).
2.13. Motivation
Motivation is also one of the most important factors which affect the
pronunciation of second language and if it is used positively, it can yield favorable
results (Dörnyei, 1998). According to Shaaban, this element determines the success
of developing skills in the second language or the foreign language (Shaaban,
2002). Motivation can be defined as “a learner’s orientation with regards to goal of
learning a second language” (Norris, 2005). Empirical research shows that besides

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motivation there are other factors such as self-confidence, intelligence and goals
which play important roles in the formation of motivation (Meléndez, 2006).
Gardner and Maclntylre (1991) divided motivation into two types including
instrumental motivation and integrated motivation. According to them, these two
types of motivation can promote positive language learning inside the classroom
(Gardner & Maclntylre, 1991). Marinova, Marshall and Snow (2000) did a research
on the adult acquisition of English and concluded that adults can become highly
proficient, even native-like speakers of second languages, if they are motivated to
do so (Marinova, Marshall & Snow, 2000).
2.14. Role of Teacher
Pronunciation is a very complex component of language learning. It is
imperative for a second language teacher to be at home in the phonetics and
phonology of that particular second language. In terms of English language, it is
essential for an English language teacher to have appropriate knowledge and
information about its phonetics and phonology, so he may correct the pronunciation
of language learners (Susmitha, 2014). There are many tasks for the language
teacher. Firstly, helping learners hear and produce sounds from Second language
point of view. Secondly, distinguishing the features of sound on which attention
should be paid. Thirdly, the selection of classroom activities according to different
learning styles and aspects which influence the learning of pronunciation
(Šebestová, 2007). It is recommended to teachers that they should set their priorities
according to the goals of the learners. The last but not the least important task is
providing feedback and assessing learners’ performance and progress. Moreover,
feedback on learner’s progress is an essential motivational factor in further
acquisition of pronunciation.
2.15. Language Teaching Pedagogies
The history of language teaching, empirical researches and theoretical theories
show that language teaching pedagogies shape the most favorable outcome. Correct
use of English language pedagogy in the language classroom can help learners to
improve their pronunciation. Longman Dictionary of applied linguistics defines
pedagogy as “the study of the practices and procedures used in teaching, and the
principles and beliefs that underlie them” (Richard & Schmidt, 2010, p. 363). The
key to the selection of an effective way of teaching English language pronunciation
is to understand and comprehend these pedagogies. Over the course of time,
different language teaching methodologies have been introduced by educationists
and language scholars. The right use of these methodologies in the right

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environment in language classroom can facilitate the acquisition of English

pronunciation.
2.16. Classroom Environment
Classroom environment can bring a big improvement in the pronunciation of
English language in non-native English speaking countries. The way a learner
perceives his proximal educational environment may shape the learning paths
(Dörnyei, 2005) along with the learning outcomes (Williams & Burden, 1997). It
has been observed that if an English language learner is not living in an English
speaking country, he wouldn’t be able to get suitable opportunities where he may
speak English, except for the classroom environment. In that case, the learner
wouldn’t not be able to learn and improve his pronunciation based on real life
situations and interactions. In such a scenario, the school must provide enough
space, activities and exposure to substitute real life situations where a learner can
learn by involving himself willingly (Szyszka, 2018).
3. Methodology
It is a qualitative and descriptive research. The arguments and philosophical
assumptions presented in this study are transparent and open for criticism and
review by the reader. The researcher took help from primary source books, personal
observations, empirical studies, and grounded theories as well as secondary source
research articles, journals and reviews in completion of this research, which make
this research precisely a library research. To ensure the validity and reliability of
arguments and philosophical assumptions presented in this research, the researcher
used the inductive approach.
4. Discussion and Suggestions
The purpose of this research is to describe all the internal and external factors which
are extensively and marginally creating difficulties in the learning of the
pronunciation of English language. All these factors were discussed in an inclusive
manner in this article. These factors were discussed in a hierarchy according to the
level of difficulties created by them in the learning of English pronunciation. In
order to improve pronunciation, a leaner needs to analyze which factor is creating
most difficulties for him. By finding an appropriate way to solve this problem, the
learner can make clear progress and improve his pronunciation. Besides, teachers
can also improve their teaching strategies and can teach pronunciation in the
classroom more effectively and engagingly.
There are some useful suggestions for second language teachers to help learners
improve their English pronunciation. English language teachers should be

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accurately trained to teach pronunciation in order to improve their learners’

pronunciation (Shahzada, 2012). English language teachers should speak clearly
and slowly in their classes and they should convince their learners that their
language is understandable. This can help their learners improve their
pronunciation by listening to them carefully. Language teachers should instill this
concept in the mind of the learners that comprehensibility is more important than
fast speech (Kolokdaragh, 2010). ESL teachers should be aware of their learners’
needs and problems while teaching pronunciation. Based on their needs, teachers
should present some appropriate material to their learners to reduce their
pronunciation problems (Shahzada, 2012). Schools should provide language labs
to learners, where they can simulate real life situations and can have a better
exposure of English language and its correct pronunciation. Teachers should use
computer technologies in these language labs to help their learners improve their
pronunciation by exposing them to authentic material (Kolokdaragh, 2010).
Teachers should familiarize their learners to both American pronunciation and
British pronunciation and learners should be able to understand both varieties of
pronunciation (Kolokdaragh, 2010). Teachers should set obtainable goals that are
appropriate keeping in view the communication needs of the learners. They should
act as speech coach, give feedback to their learners, and encourage them to improve
their pronunciation (Thanasoulas, 2002).
5. Conclusion
Teaching of pronunciation is the most difficult aspect of language teaching and the
least favorite topic in the language classroom. It has been observed many times that
this skill is totally ignored in the English language classroom. By understanding
these factors both teachers and learners can improve themselves by putting their
efforts in the right direction to get maximum results. The instruction of
pronunciation is very important because pronunciation affects the understanding of
the second language. If learners cannot utter the correct version of a word then they
are unable to communicate properly. The instruction of pronunciation helps the
learners to have a better understanding of native speakers and improves their ability
to communicate easily and effectively.
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